Summary: To get the church into focusing on the power that is in the Awesome Name of Jesus Christ.

My brothers and my sisters while riding along on the Beltway, you cannot help but notice the signs on the cab of some semi’ that read “Cat Power”. It was referencing to the engine that power many of the big rigs we see on our nation’s interstate system. It is this engine that is formally called a Caterpillar, which claims that nothing pulls like a Big Cat. These powerful engines are in most of the construction equipment made and is known for its reliability and power. So in the trucking and construction industry Caterpillar have the right to say that nothing pulls, push, grade, nor tear down like a Big Cat. A trucker or a heavy equipment operator can appreciate that analogy. But there is a name that has more power than Caterpillar, Detroit, Mack, Mercedes and all the others combined. That name is Jesus Christ. His name is also known for it’s reliability and power. While all the engines named can push, pull and even grade. Jesus can build, draw, and be the great equalizer in our lives.

Last week we talked about Barnabas, the much needed friend. We saw how Barnabas had heard Saul’s story and the Holy Spirit bore witness that he was sincere in his conversion. It was also this Barnabas that put his neck on the line for Saul. The reason was because the others did not believe him and would not receive him as a brother. So, Barnabas took him to the apostles and convinced them that Saul was indeed converted in Damascus.

This week we observe as the cast changes from Barnabas and Saul, to the leader of the apostles in Peter. The last time we heard from Peter before this chapter, was in chapter 5. In that episode there was a great work being done by the hands of the apostles. Through them the Spirit was healing the afflicted, and many signs and wonders were evident on Solomon’s porch. In fact the move of the Spirit was so great that the people gathered the sick and afflicted from everywhere and lined the streets with them on beds and couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might over-shadow some of them for their healing. So, this 9th chapter brings back this prominent leader of the twelve. He is making his rounds throughout all the places where the brethren had been scattered. In the text we find him with the saints that dwelled in Lydda. It is in this city that Peter would once again use the most powerful name known to man and that name is Jesus who is the Christ.

Come with me as we unload this passage.

First of all verse 33 allows us to know that...

1. HIS NAME IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO HEAL US IN THE TOUGHEST OF TIMES. (V.33)

“And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.”

As we read this lesson, we should take note of this man name Aeneas. The text allows us to know that he had been bed-ridden for eight long years with the palsy or in today’s term he was paralyzed. This paralytic man needed people to help him anyway they could. You must understand that he was no a beggar like we found in chapter 3, but he just could not help himself. He needed someone to wash him and he needed someone to take him from place to place. He was unable to dress himself, feed himself, nor take care of any of his own personal needs. His condition was a lot like the condition of the paralytic that Jesus had confronted and healed in Luke chapter 5. Without saying we should see that his condition was about as critical as it could get. Even his relatives and caretakers suffered along with him because they had to care for him both day and night. They too probably thought that he would never be able to take care of himself again. But that was before Peter came to town.